IGN has literally nothing to gain from a random twitter post hinting at HL3, they didn't link to an article, they didn't even link to some youtube video on their YT page, it was just a quote, they gain nothing from it.

To add to atlas, since dota2 is going to be f2p i'm pretty sure once the remaining "big" heroes are released the game will be released, the other smaller heroes trundling along afterwards. That could be by the end of may, or start of June.

IGN has literally nothing to gain from a random twitter post hinting at HL3, they didn't link to an article, they didn't even link to some youtube video on their YT page, it was just a quote, they gain nothing from it.

More traffic on their twitter user which most likely means more followers, which is always good.

CS:GO isn't being developed by valve though. Far as we know Dota 2 is their big project and is being worked on pretty much studio wide. Which is a shame.

Isn't DOTA2 mainly something they assist the original creators with (which they've hired by now)? Something about making their vision come true with the resources Valve can provide or something, and learning from them about MOBA gamedesign and in greater depth about the competitive eSports scene (info they want to use on CS:GO where they also work closely together with Pros)?

If it would benefit the plot more than him staying dead, I'm sure they'd actually do that.

But yeah he's got a lot of character strings attached to him, so "ripping him out" is a very effective and reasonable method of setting the tone for the supposedly darker and more horrifying sequel.
I'm kinda concerned what an effect it'll have on Alyx as a character tho. In Episode 2 she was kinda there, but mainly just support to guide Gordon a bit. In Episode 1 she got a significant emotional development scene after the scary train ride, and in Episode 2 she had to overcome her new fear of Hunters. Now her family's dead and she'll probably have to be the one to tell it Judith of all people.
Hope they don't make her snap in Episode 3, I think she's more useful for adding a human element to the scene without drawing all that much attention to her personal character arc. But it does seem like it's all leading up to something.

If it would benefit the plot more than him staying dead, I'm sure they'd actually do that.

But yeah he's got a lot of character strings attached to him, so "ripping him out" is a very effective and reasonable method of setting the tone for the supposedly darker and more horrifying sequel.
I'm kinda concerned what an effect it'll have on Alyx as a character tho. In Episode 2 she was kinda there, but mainly just support to guide Gordon a bit. In Episode 1 she got a significant emotional development scene after the scary train ride, and in Episode 2 she had to overcome her new fear of Hunters. Now her family's dead and she'll probably have to be the one to tell it Judith of all people.
Hope they don't make her snap in Episode 3, I think she's more useful for adding a human element to the scene without drawing all that much attention to her personal character arc. But it does seem like it's all leading up to something.

What do you guys think could/should/shouldn't happen?

I hope she gets mega-pissed at the combine and does some cool as melee combat near the end with like a hunter or advisor or some shit, and just beats the shit out of it, possibly dying in the heat of it, but smiles at Gordon and says "Good luck Freeman, you're gonna need it".

She later comes back as an advisor and you use her as a method of transport!

I hope she gets mega-pissed at the combine and does some cool as melee combat near the end with like a hunter or advisor or some shit, and just beats the shit out of it, possibly dying in the heat of it, but smiles at Gordon and says "Good luck Freeman, you're gonna need it".

She later comes back as an advisor and you use her as a method of transport!

Can I ask why people are all crying about whether it's 'Ep 3' or 'HL3'?

It hardly makes a difference to potential length (five years and they wouldn't dare give us anything shorter than HL2) or potential plot (we already know this is the last part of the Gordon/Alyx/Combine part of the series).